Israel and Palestinian Groups Agree to Ceasefire
After days of violence and deadly attacks, Egypt’s efforts to broker a ceasefire between Tel Aviv and Palestinian groups have been successful. According to sources close to Palestinian groups, Egypt presented a new proposal for a ceasefire which was accepted by both parties, and it will come into effect at 22:00 local time. The ceasefire includes ending all attacks and ensuring that civilians are not targeted. At the moment, no official statement has been made by the parties involved.
The Egyptian government worked hard to achieve a temporary ceasefire between Israel and Palestinian groups. Separate meetings were held in Cairo with the delegations of the parties involved in the conflict.
The violence started on May 9 when the Israeli army launched an attack on the besieged Gaza in its alleged pursuit of the Islamic Jihad Movement’s leadership. Reports suggest that 33 Palestinians, including 6 children and 3 women, were killed, while 93 others, including 32 children and 17 women, were injured. Among the dead were six members of the executive staff of Islamic Jihad.
In response to these attacks, Palestinian groups fired over a thousand rockets and mortar shells from Gaza into Israel. One Israeli citizen died when a rocket hit a residential building on May 11 in the city of Rehovot.
The recent violence and unrest have sparked global concern and condemnation. World leaders, including the United Nations Secretary-General, called for an immediate end to the hostilities and a return to dialogue. It is hoped that the ceasefire will bring some calm to the region and pave the way for a lasting peace agreement between the parties involved.
